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A SHORT HISTORY OFSt Anthony's Catholic ChurchFakenham, Norfolk

by Nick Paquay

St Anthony's Church from the front lawns circa 1909. (G T Lamont)

FOREWORD

For most of this century, St Anthony's Church has served
the Catholic population of Fakenham and the surrounding villages. Originally
Dereham, Wells and Walsingham fell within its boundaries before getting
their own churches. The parish still covers approximately 250 square
miles.

Over the years the make-up of the congregation has changed. Initially
the numbers were very small - the members of three large families, I
have been told. World War II brought a vast influx of servicemen, mainly
American, to the area, and names in the Baptismal and Marriage registers
reflect this.

The original church was tiny, .but in the 1940s the present chancel
was added on - its lack of woodwork reflecting the austerity of the post-war
years. Nowadays the congregation consists largely of people who have
retired from the big cities to Norfolk, though a handful of the original
families still remain.

Each generation has made its own contribution to the life of the parish.
This booklet pays tribute to those who went before us, and I would like
to pay my own tribute to those still keeping the flame alive today.

C. Cook, Parish Priest, June 1999

1898
Mass first celebrated in a room on Holt Road. Then in a room over a confectioners
shop in Norwich Street before moving to a hall which was occupied later
by the Plymouth Brethren (White Horse Street). The next move was to
a room over a boot-makers shop in Tunn Street. Father Gray was known
as a sole repairer of these premises.

1905
The Bishop of Northampton sent to Fakenham, Father Gray to establish
a parish. The district was very big and included Walsingham, Wells
and Dereham. At the time there were few Catholics. Father Gray came
from a wealthy family, whose private income could be used to help establish
the parish. Father Gray first lived in Wensum House at Hempton and
was given permission by the Bishop to say mass in the house which was
built in 1745 near Back Street. At one time a stained glass window
could be seen in the house from Back Street, which was the confessional.
After 1909, when the church was constructed, the agricultural workers
union used Wensum House. George Edwards (later Sir George) founded
the union in 1906 and came to live at Wensum House. Father Gray became
a friend of George Edwards and took an active part in helping the union
until 1926.

1907
Plot purchased at Fakenham for the construction of a parish church. The
land laying between Butchers Hill, Hayes Lane and Wells Road.

1908
The house was built much larger than the church as the intentions were
to make the church larger at a later date. Father Gray met with much
opposition during his mission to create a permanent church at Fakenham.
It has even been said that he was thrown into the local river (the
Wensum) to deter him from his mission. Indeed a local newspaper, when
reporting the ceremony of the dedication of St Anthony's during May
1909,mentioned local antipathy. It is thought that around 200 people
attended the ceremony, which consisted official dignitaries, robed
monks, nuns, canons and reverends. A fine luncheon was served in the
corn hall, which later became the local cinema. High Mass was celebrated
in the presence of the Lord Bishop of Northampton, Or Keating. It is
said in the report that the church was built on a pleasant spot commanding
an expansive view over and beyond Hempton Common. As mentioned earlier,
the Church lands stretched down to Hayes Lane in 1909. The hall now
occupied by the Freemasons being known as St Anthony's Parish Hall.
During the stay of Father Gray, the hall was used as a boxing venue
to raise funds for the parish. In the early years, there was a croquet
lawn at the front of the Church and sunken gardens at the Hayes Lane
end. Now occupied by two houses, one built only a few years ago and
named Presbytery Garden. Father Gray had grand plans for the Church.
The present sacristy was to be a waiting room for visitors to the Presbytery.
Father Gray had three live-in servants and a live-in gardener by the
name of Meek. Their quarters were reached by a rear staircase, which
has since been blocked up. Most parishioners to the Parish are relatively
newcomers. One family, which can be traced back to the early days and
supported Father Gray during his early mission, is the English family,
a name that continues within the parish today. St Anthony's mission
complete, Father Gray moved to Slough and his connections with Fakenham
ended. Father Gray occasionally returned to Fakenham as Canon Gray,
to lay to rest parishioners that he had known during his stay in the
town.

The Altar Front. (Mrs J Pilch)

1940s
The congregation swelled rapidly and artificially during the Second
World War with so many airmen stationed around the area. This included
Americans,
Dutch, Polish and Irish, to name but a few. The Irish helped to build
the airfield runways. There are records of large crowds unable to
get into midnight mass. Several of these war time visitors married
into
the local community. Names such as Kiszka, Gawlinski and Van Damme
can be
traced through the church records. Various plans were suggested for
extending the Church. Shortly after the war, around 1947, the present
sanctuary
and front half were built. The original church had the wooden beams
and wooden block flooring with the altar' framed' by three ornate
glass stained
windows.

Teresa English presenting a bouquet to Lady Pryce-Jones
at a Church Garden Fete in 1959. (Mrs J Pilch)

The 'modern' extension was built with a tiled floor
and metal roof girders. At the rear of the church can be seen three glass
stained windows, each
with a coat of arms. The windows are as old as the church and the shields
represent the arms of the Pope, and the Bishop of Northampton. The third
shield is a mystery and perhaps further study will reveal its origin.
At one time, an old pedal organ below these windows was played during
mass and a single bell above was rung to call the faithful to church.
Older parishioners may recall a Mr Jimmy Carroll, carrying out bell ringing
during the late 1950s. In more recent years a small part of the front
lawn has been lost to car parking but St Anthony's remain as ever a very
picturesque church set within beautiful grounds.

Children about to receive their first communion. November
1st 1955. (Mrs J Piltch)

It is very apt that the tiny Catholic Church of Fakenham
is dedicated to St Anthony of Padua. St Anthony was born in Portugal
but began his
Holy life within the Augustinian Order in 1221 at the age of 26. These
friars originally came from St Francis of Assise, a city of the Duchy
of Spoleto in Italy. They are sometimes known as grey friars and dressed
as poor Italian shepherds. They believed in chastity, obedience and poverty.

First Communion: Fr Barker and the Nuns who instructed the Catechetics. November 1st 1955. (MrsJ Pilch)

St Anthony is often known as the 'Hammer of the Heretics',
due to his teaching. He is typically depicted with a book and the infant
child Jesus,
to whom he miraculously appeared, and is commonly referred to as the
'Finder of Lost Articles'.

Communion. Fr Maddon with Peter Hogan in the late 1980s.

St Anthony died at the age of 36. Pope Pius
XII made him a Doctor of the Church in 1946. The village of Little
Walsingham, 5 miles north of Fakenham, was represented by a group of
the Franciscan
Order from 1347 to 1538. The Priory ruins are quite extensive and lie
off the Fakenham Road, some 200 yards west of the Church.